roundout

Quote: skyking My decisions are all based on my comfort level. If i dont feel comfy with the weather i dont go. You made the right choice Scott. Even if you are IFR cert and the plane is certified for known ice. if you dont feel comfortable dont do it!

I've long believed that somebody like Branson or Mark Cuban would be a perfect fit to help Mooney along.

I set the trim about halfway between the top of the white arc and the nose up limit on final. This accomplishes a few things: 1. verifies that my trim is actually set where I expect it to be. I've seen misrigged and malfunctioning trim indicators in old planes, newer planes with the electronic trim and flap displays and even in G1000 Mooneys. It's not common but it could really get you in a pickle. 2. re-inforces the fact that, if you're fast, you need to get slowed. If my control of pitch attitude is suspect a mile from the runway, how well does that bode for rounding out and flaring? If you're too fast on final, you actually have to give the yoke a little forward pressure. That's a good check against what I'm seeing outside and what my MP setting and fuel flow. 3. Known quantity to work from on every landing From there, I add nose up trim as necessary as I reduce power crossing the fence and pulling the power smoothly to idle as I round out. With some CG loading the trim ends up at full nose up but usually it doesn't. I don't like it full nose up because it can make a go around a headache. FWIW, I rarely ever fly the same airplane and fly many that are new-to-me. I carry a fair amount of skepticism any time I get in a plane and try my best to not trust them. Perhaps it would be different if I flew one bird regularly.

I would at least have a CFI with Mooney time take you up and do 10 landings and some emergency work. After that you don't need a specialist. I know of somebody you can call in So Fla, if you like. PM me.

Not uncommon.

Call Premier and get Eddie Crowder's phone number. Tell him Tex told you to call him.

Ugh. That's a lot of money. I didn't realize that nobody supports the old actuator anymore. Both styles of actuators seem pretty reliable, if that makes you feel any better.

Where did you find a DX with a McCauley 3 blade prop? I thought they stopped using those in the late 90s or early 2000s. The 2 blade is indeed faster but doesn't climb nearly as well. I don't believe that there's any appreciable difference on the DX that would make it faster with the same prop. The Acclaim prop is the best of the bunch but it's not cheap. I can't remember the glareshields specifically by model, but I do know this. The older birds indeed had the panel 2" taller than the new ones. The panel was redesigned to accomodate G1000 (which would be when the DX and GX became two separate options). The old ones are identifiable by being taller and having the gear switch up high near the top of the panel and the new ones are identifiable by having the gear switch down behind and to the right side of the control column, as well as the panel being shorter. I can't remember if the DX models used the new panel with the gear switch relocated or not, but I'm thinking they did. This would explain why they're advertising the 05 DX model with 2" more visibility. I haven't flown many of them and I can't recall. Lemme know if you have other questions.

An Ovation GX (or Bravo GX) would have glass. I believe they started offering GX models in 04 or 05 and sold them concurrently with DX models through 06. I believe after they dropped the Bravo in 05 they also dropped the DX and GX monikers as all subsequent ships were G1000.

Vlo down (and perhaps up, I can't remember) and Vle is lower in the 77 model due to a different actuator and some other gear components, per Ronnie Kallies, formerly of the factory Service Center. The throttle quadrant on the 77 is a Piper style and the newer ones are the same you see in the airplanes through 2009 (though they don't have vernier throttles like the real late model planes do). I much prefer the new style throttle quadrant and higher gear speed but neither is a compelling enough difference to stay away from a good 77 model at a good price. Ask skyatty here on the board. His 77 is one of the nicest Js I've seen and flown. You get used to whatever you fly often.

I've seen 200 series do stuff like this before. It's annoying. Cleaning the connections certainly might get you on track but it might not. i'd try that first because it's easy and cheap. If it doesn't work, move on to other options.

Quote: carusoam or Maybe this is an M20M thing??? there are a few M20M guys here too......

The Ovation 3 is zero knots faster in cruise unless you want to burn 20gph. It does climb a ton better, though. I personally don't have much use for the 310hp. At 2700rpm the noise and vibration transmitted through the airplane is awful. I dial the prop back to 2550 for climb and 2500 for cruise as soon as practical. FWIW, I have the same feelings on the 310 Acclaim. Lots of noise, lots of vibration, higher fuel bill, climbs better but zero speed increase.

I don't know that buying a 150k Eagle or Ovation is a good idea. Many don't even come close to that price point. What does spending 100% of your purchase budget do to your maintenance budget? 252 is a good airplane. 231 and Bravo are slow down low and the 252 isn't a ton better. The turbo doesn't do much for you down low except cost you more money. It's a nice option to have (going high if you need to) but it is expensive to lug around if you're not using it.

What jlunseth said. The airplane might have new equipment installed and old equipment removed. You need the supplements, updated W&B and other airplane-specific docs.

If you buy a J you can keep 50% of your budget in your pocket. Being VFR only you don't have to worry about needing ice protection, so that makes shopping easier.

Kerosene, but then you have more cleaning to do. If you can get it, B100 biodiesel is an excellent solvent.

That wasn't Jim Carpenter posting, it was me.

What avionics and autopilot? There could be a lot of different answers. FWIW, the GFC700 WILL fly the missed if you set it up properly. You do have to re-engage it though. The Go Around button disconnects the autopilot. Once you get the airplane cleaned up and climbing, you can re-engage the AP and it will fly the rest of the missed.

TX: SEP, AQO, SAT for food. T82 for food, wine and hotel. AZ: SEZ Most importantly, how does one get a job being your pilot?

SEP

I talked to a guy out of the Houston area who claimed to be flying a PFM with the Porsche engine. He told me something similar to what Magnus posted - he can get parts from the manufacturers and has a mechanic who will sign off on it every year. Sounds like a lot of hassle to me. I'd go for an Ovation or a Missle. Prices are so bedraggled that you're better off not bothering with anything of questionable history (or future).

I work out of Addison. Send me a PM and I'll send you my phone number so we can talk.

They just do it. Don Maxwell told me why once, but I forgot. It's a common problem.

Premier does an excellent job. I used to work for them. I wouldn't feel uncomfortable having them do a prebuy or an annual even if they've been maintaining the plane to date.